Reno Fire Department Arson K9 Boston to Retire After Five Years of Service

The Reno Fire Department (RFD) announces the retirement of arson K9 Boston after five years of dedicated service.

K9 Boston was trained by Maine Specialty Dogs, where he completed a 200-hour course to graduate. K9 Boston then joined RFD in June of 2021, working alongside his handler and fire investigator, Captain Sean O'Brien.

"We're very fortunate to have Boston as part of the Reno Fire Department team for the past five years," said Reno Fire Chief Dave Cochran. "He has been instrumental in helping us with fire investigations, and we are thankful for his hard work. Beyond that, his friendly and loving personality has made him an unofficial therapy dog, bringing lots of smiles to our team and others at City Hall."

K9 Boston is the City's first ignitable liquid detection dog and is trained to sniff out accelerants such as gasoline and kerosine. He was one of two Main Specialty Dogs trained K9s in Nevada, with the other K9 based in the Las Vegas area.

"It's a bittersweet moment for the City as we celebrate the well-deserved retirement of Boston," said Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve. "I am proud of his dedication and service and wish him all the treats and relaxation in this next chapter."

Quick facts about K9 Boston:

• He is an English black lab and his birthday is August 19, 2019
• He has completed over 700 hours of training in the past five years
• He has eaten 5,500 cups of food, all fed by hand as he can only eat while training
• He has assisted in more than 50 fire investigation with the City
• He has participated in more than 50 events and demonstrations in the community

K9 Boston's future plans upon retirement are to enjoy treats like a regular dog, take a few naps, and continue hanging out with his best friend, Captain O'Brien.